The Lorax, By Dr. Seuss: The Future is in Our Hands
In class, we just read the picture book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. It is the story of the Once-Ler and the Lorax. In it, the Lorax speaks for the animals and plants of a forest. Then the Once-ler comes and begins hacking down trees, driving all the animals away and creating pollution and smog just because he is greedy and wants money. I think that in this book, which I believe is definitely based on Global Warming and rich, greedy corporation owners, also shows an incredible relationship between children and adults. I think it shows this through the Once-ler and the one child he trusts with the future of the world.
At the end of the book, after the Once-ler is done telling his story to a small boy, he hands him something. He gives him the last Truffula Tree seed of them all, this basically means that he trusts this yound boy with the future of the environment and an entire species, which is obviously a HUGE burden. One thing that I really noticed, is that of all people, the Once-ler chooses to trust a child. I believe that this signifies how many rich, greedy adults have really done a lot to mess up our world, and therefore our futures. Also, how at this point the only people who can change this are the people of the future and the ones who have to turn around the messes that have been created for them, the children. In addition, i think that the Once-ler knows that if he gives it to another grown up like him, and gives them the power that he got when he started controlling the Truffula Trees, adults who have seen so much of the world will make the same mistakes he did, whereas, an innocent child will not know how to do wrong and will not be tempted by wrongs and know to do the right thing.
Also, I think that the roles three adults play in the book back up my opinion. First of all, a character only shown once, is the man who comes and buys the Thneed, is important. He is just a passer-by who see's the Thneed and decides even though it really shows no purpose he will by it. So many people in our counrty who have money, do not think of things that might need it and are greedy and simply buy things for pleasure. Also, I think that the Lorax, being really the only good character, shows how there are only a few people doing good in our world and putting themselves second to the good of others. Lastly, I think that the Once-ler being an adult supports the adults being the ones who aren't thinking about the good of others, and trying for nothing but to become wealthy.
In conclusion, I think that in the book The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss the way that the Once-ler is an adult and the person he trusts the future with is a child, shows in a big way a message Dr. Seuss way trying to portray about kids being the ones to save the future.
